Adjustable Indexable Drill Cartridge Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indexable drills face limitations in drilling smaller holes, lack self-centering capability, require large inventories of inserts and screws, and generate coolant hazards due to inefficient chip removal, leading to reduced accuracy and increased operational costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable indexable drill design featuring a drill body with movable cartridges and inserts that allow for adjustable cutting geometry, reduced coolant usage, and improved chip evacuation, enabling precise drilling of various hole sizes with reduced inventory and operational hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional indexable drills are used for smaller holes (3/4 inch or less), then the drill structure becomes simpler, but the drilling speed becomes slower compared to two flute effective twist drills
Solution Approach 1:
The drill is divided into multiple independent cartridges, each containing inserts with cutting edges. This segmentation allows the drill to effectively utilize multiple flutes (two flute effective design) while maintaining the indexable insert structure, thereby increasing drilling speed for small holes without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The drill body is designed to accommodate multiple cartridge types and configurations, making it versatile for different hole sizes and materials. The universal cartridge design allows the same drill body to function as either one flute effective or two flute effective depending on cartridge arrangement, optimizing productivity across various applications
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional indexable drills without self-centering capability are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision and accuracy deteriorate, especially for holes deeper than 3 times the diameter
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridges are designed with asymmetric features including a directional feature (such as a keyway or flat) that prevents rotation and ensures proper orientation. This asymmetric design provides self-centering capability by guaranteeing that inserts are positioned at correct angles relative to the drill axis, improving hole accuracy without requiring complex additional centering mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge design incorporates pre-positioned inserts with predetermined orientations and angles. The directional feature on the cartridge body ensures that when the cartridge is installed, the inserts are automatically positioned in the correct orientation before drilling begins, providing self-centering action that maintains accuracy throughout the drilling process
3Adaptability or versatility
If large inventories of inserts and screws are maintained for different drill sizes, then the adaptability to different hole sizes is improved, but the quantity of materials and parts increases
Solution Approach 1:
The drill body is designed with a universal cartridge interface that can accommodate multiple cartridge types and configurations. The same drill body can be used with different cartridges to create drills of various effective flute configurations (one flute effective, two flute effective) and different insert arrangements, allowing a single drill body to replace multiple specialized drills and reducing inventory requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge system allows dynamic reconfiguration of the drill by swapping cartridges rather than changing entire drill bodies. Users can quickly change cartridges to adapt to different hole sizes and material requirements, providing versatility without maintaining large inventories of fixed-configuration drill tools
4Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional indexable drills with inefficient chip removal are used, then the device complexity is reduced, but coolant usage increases creating operational hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The drill features segmented gullets between the cartridges that provide dedicated chip evacuation pathways. These gullets are positioned to efficiently capture and remove chips from the cutting zone, allowing chips to be evacuated through the drill body structure itself rather than relying solely on coolant flushing, thereby reducing coolant usage and associated hazards
Solution Approach 2:
The chip evacuation function is extracted from the coolant system and integrated into the drill body structure through the gullet design. The gullets act as dedicated channels that physically remove chips from the cutting zone and transport them out of the hole, reducing dependence on coolant for chip removal and minimizing coolant-related operational hazards
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable drill having a drill body having a longitudinal axis, and a face surface including an aperture extending into the drill body. A directional feature adjacent the aperture extends toward an edge of the drill body, and a longitudinal gullet extends from the face surface along at least a portion of the drill body. A cartridge adjacent the face surface is selectively slidable along the directional feature, and a cutting face having an insert pocket positioned adjacent the edge of the drill body in which an insert is releasably affixed.